Pine leaves
by Lonewingwriter
Summary: Entry for Tanabata Festival. AU. Two failures meet each other. Will the two lost souls find out what's important to their lives? Slight humor.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **

Last minute entry for the Tanabata Festival. Sorry if it's tardy, my eyes are so swollen now I cannot see clearly, much less spot any mistakes.

(7/10/12)

* * *

It was such a beautiful scene to behold.

Scattering rain danced gracefully in the air, dropping aesthetically down on scattering pine leaves. Those leaves, while green and pointed on the trees, like sharp swords piercing through the sky, strong and full of life, on the ground, looked like wet brown hays, weak and dead. Yet those weak and dead leaves were what added color to the gray gloomy ground, covering it with warmth and protection against the rain.

Orihime shook her head. What was she thinking about? It was so silly. Why would the ground needed warmth and protection? There was absolutely no use for those pointy, brown, useless, helpless, needle-form leaves. She swept through the leaves with her broom. That was why they were trash, and that was why she was cleaning the ground from those trash.

She halted the movement of the broom, not wanting to disrupt the patterns that, in her opinion, was naturally beautiful and rare to the eyes. Who said that they were completely useless? At least it helped the ground less slippery when people stepped on it.

Orihime tripped as she tried to step on those potentially helpful leaves. She fell messily down the ground, and as she stood up, her hips ached painfully under the attack of the needle-like leaves that now, in her humble opinion ,were completely, and without doubt, useless, and even harmful.

As Orihime shook the rest of the leaves out of the lower part of her light pink kimono and resumed her previous task, she, again, found herself strangely incapable of taking those annoying leaves into the bag and throwing them away. Something about those leaves sparked something strange in her. One could call it compassion; one could call it empathy. No. She shook her head sadly, what made her unable to see them as trash and just dump them away was because they reminded her too much of herself. Weak, vulnerable, completely useless, and totally trashable.

To deny the worth of those leaves was to deny the worth of herself, yet at the same time she could not find any value about herself who was cleaning the trash that nobody even cared about their existence, about whether they were cleaned or not.

To ignore their existence was to reject her own. That was why she could not consider them as trash, could not just brush them into the bag without finding some sort of meaning for them.

Heavy footsteps approached at the gate of the inn.

For a moment she took her eyes off the leaves and landed them on the huge figure that was walking slowly toward the gate. Hiding under the frog and faint rain, it looked like a big mountain that had legs; or a gigantic war robot; those that she saw often when watching anime. Now as it came closer, she was pretty sure it was one of the Titans in the Greek Myths. What was one of the Gods want to do with her? Surely, they didn't want her to clean up their yards up there, right? Maybe, a strong wind blew those pine leaves up...

"Sorry, is this the Super Star Inn?"

Hecules! It must be Hecules, the man, no, the God in front of her. Otherwise, how could a mere human dragged something that big behind his back? Now that she had a really close look at the subject, a huge rectangular box that was covered carefully with a large green cloth, she realized that it had four little wheels, so it made a little more sense of how he moved it. Still, it was inhuman the way he pulled it behind his back with just a short rope.

"Excuse me, is this the Super Star Inn?"

There was no doubt about it. He must be Hecules. Look at his hand which was holding the rope tightly. It was so... how could she say it. So white and smooth and... so long. Oh my god, so long, she had never seen any fingers that long. She was fighting ferociously against the righteous urge to grab his fingers and measure them with a rule to see exactly how long they were. She was enchanted completely by those slender fingers that she could not take her eyes out of them, and she traced her gaze up as the fingers left their post at the handle of the rope and moved up to rub the nose which was emitting a faint snort.

"This is the Super Star Inn, right?"

That was when her gaze met his for the first, and for the first time, she could see clearly the face of the infamous Hecules. Now she was more convinced than ever that he must be the Greek hero. Look at his eyes, and his eyebrows, and his cheeks, and his chin. There was nothing but a masculine figure! And his hair! Oh my god, it was orange, bright orange, spiky orange, exactly like a little sun. Yes, that was the color of the hair that a son of a God was supposed to have.

There was a twitch right at the middle of his broad and high forehead and his eyebrows together formed a solid scowl, a clear evidence that he was really annoying about something.

"Excuse me, is this the Super Star Inn?"

She wondered what could possibly make a son of God be annoyed? But his scowl was so beautiful, so captivated that she was drawn into its power completely and lost her ability to think. His scowl made him look more intimidated as a God, much scarier, yet at the same time she felt warmth enveloped around her body. When she looked at his scowl again, this time she realized that it looked kind rather than scary, and somehow he looked more human than a God.

The God suddenly waved his hand in front of her eyes, his voice was deep and clearly irritated, "Excuse me, Miss, can you speak?"

She looked at him again, totally confused. Could it be that he was talking to her? But why? Why? What did a God really need from her?

She bowed deep, her head almost touched her knees, "I'm so sorry Hercules-sama, What do you need from a lowly human like me?"

"Huh?"

She raised her head and surprised to see that his jaw was hung opened and he blinked. "Excuse me, Miss, what did you just say?"

"I mean, Hercules-sama..."

"Hold on." He raised a hand in front of her, " I think there is a misunderstanding here. My name is Ichigo, Kurosaki Ichigo, not Hercu... something."

Strawberry huh. That would be good for the custard. Strawberry custard sounded so yummy. She made a mental note to try to make it now, tonight. Hold on, but that meant...

"Are you sure that you are not Hercules?"

"Absolutely."

"But you have such beautiful fingers, they are so long and... inhuman..."

A blush crossed his face. So CUTE!

"And your scowl is so...God-like, I mean it make you look so scar...I mean God-like..."

His face was on fire now. Damn her and her inability to form a legitimate sentence.

"And you have so strong of a muscle. You could drag this..huge...thing..." She gestured toward the big thing that was behind him.

"Oh this." His face suddenly brightened. He patted on it affectionately, "this buddy is my best treasure, I bring with it me every time I travel. It had been with me since I was four. We are inseparable."

Orihime looked curiously at his best buddy and treasure, wondering if it was a turtle in disguised, and she concluded that it was not. It looked like a huge rectangular box but now that she had a closer look, it was not quite rectangular, more like a giant long bench.

Seeing her curious star, the man with the named Ichigo took the cloth cover off and revealed a...

HOLY SHIT.

HOLY SHIT! That man was bring with him a piano since he was four? That was inhuman.

"Are you sure you're not Hercules?" The words jumped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Absolutely."

"How about your father, grandfather, grandgrandfather, ?"

"Impossible. Our last name has been Kurosaki for as long as I can remember."

"So you are a human?" She looked straight into his eyes, trying to spot any lies.

"100%"

Quite unexpectedly, the man laughed. As he wiped away his tears, he smiled gently at her, "you are such a funny person."

'I don't need a person who was dragging a piano around with him since he was four reminds me that,' she thought bitterly. But she had to admit, he looked so kind with his smile, and again a flow of warm air whirled around her body, a kind of reassurance she had never felt before.

"Really," his voice turned serious, "I have been so stressed lately, but thank to you, I feel much better now." He asked softly, "What's your name?"

"Orihime, Inoue Orihime."

The two were startled by a loud clap behind them, and as they turned their backs around they faced a smiling Urahara who was fanning lazily, "I'm afraid that introduction time is over. Now, my freeloaders, please get to work. We have a mountain of works for you two to do. Inoue-san, after gathering all the leaves to the barn, please help Kurosaki-san settle in his room, then show him around before getting him chopped the woods."

With that, he left, his green robe still swayed a little in the wind before he disappeared completely.

Urahara was a weird person. Technically, he was the owner of the Inn, but for most of the time, he was not here. Or to be more precisely, except for this month, Orihime was the sole resident of this Inn. There was no owner, no employees, no customers, no pets, nothing but a deserted place. But every year, during this month, on a particular day, the Inn was flooded by people for the Tanabata Festival, and Urahara-san came by once or twice per week to check up on things and give orders to Orihime.

Last night, Urahara-san passed by and told Orihime that she would have a housemate who would stay and help her with the Innkeeping. He didn't forget to mention that the new partner, like her, was a very interesting person, plus he had a strength of an ox.

Yeah, now she understood what Urahara-san meant. 'Another weirdo to the Inn.' Orihime sighed silently, though she was pretty sure that no one could pass her in term of weirdness.

XxXx OOO-OOO XxXxX

Ichigo pushed his beloved piano one last time toward the wall. This old Inn was insanely huge although he was pretty sure that the girl he just met was the only one here though. His room was at the other end of the West Wing, and there was no evidence of any customers around here, which made him wonder how Urahara managed to run this Inn for so long.

"Kurosaki-kun, can I come in?"

The sweet voice must belong to Orihime, the weird girl that he just met. He chuckled. She was funny and refreshing. The way she gazed at the pine leaves, the way she stared at him, the way she talked, the way she smiled... all were so innocent and captivating.

He went to the rice-paper door and slid it opened, revealing a flushed Orihime with folded clothes in her arms.

"Here is your clothes to work at the Inn. You can wear normal clothes when you're done with your works."

Taking the clothes from Orihime, Ichigo managed to murmured thank you. Her heated cheeks was a great distraction, and he had to gather all his wits to tear his eyes away from them and slid the door shut quite rudely. Cursing himself for his inability to deal with girls, he unfolded the clothes and tried the blue kimono that he was supposed to wear.

He looked at himself in the mirror. The loose robe could not hide the muscles that formed all around his chest, which he hated. No matter what he did, he looked like a fighting freak.

Now with all the works he would do at the Inn, there was no doubt that those muscles would grow at their full speed, but he could not help it. He had to work for a place to live. To live one dream sometimes we have to give up other dreams. Urahara was kind enough to let him live here for free in exchange of his labor. The room was large enough for his piano and the place was quiet enough for him to practice. This was all what he needed.

There was a knock on the door, and as Ichigo went to open it, it was no doubt also Orihime. This time she was carrying a tea tray with two cups and a plate of cookies in it.

She smiled, "Kurosaki-kun, you must be dead tired with such a long travel, carrying...um your piano with you, so I thought some refreshment will help."

Damn it. Ichigo sincerely hoped that his abnormal strength would not freak her out, but she was nothing but freaked out.

Settling down on the small table at the middle of the room, Ichigo had never experienced anything this awkward. What should he say now? Should he say that she was super cute but really, he needed some space for his own, and it would be very nice if she could leave him alone for awhile?

"You know, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime started the conversation, her middle finger rubbed softly against the cup's handle, "I'm very glad that you will stay here with us." There was a pang in his chest as he spotted the loneliness in her eyes. "There was not a lot of people around here." She paused, like she was wondering what to say. "But I'm glad that you're here." Raising her head, she looked straight into his eyes, her rosy lips curled into a faint smile, "Kurosaki-kun, welcome to our Inn."

He felt like crying. It had been so long since he left home, but today, at this moment, this girl made him feel at home again, like he was belonged to this place, like finally he had a place he could he call home.

So deep in this newfound feeling that Ichigo was completely taken off guard when Orihime asked. "So, Kurosaki-kun, are you a pianist?"

His heart thumped and throbbed. He scowled to keep his calm, and in an unwanted crude voice, he answered her, "I'm a music composer, not a pianist."

"So cool." Her whole face brightened in genuine curiosity, and he was taken off guard again when she asked, "But you can play piano right? Can you play for me a little? I never see anyone play piano before."

Being taken off guard was an understatement. He was too absorbed in studying the cuteness of her face that he answered before he could think properly. "Sure."

How could he tell her that he was more of a natural fighter, that she could throw him on the street full of skilled fighters and he would beat the crap out of all of them; yet he was studying and playing piano since he was four but all he could do after all these years was playing real craps.

Dragging his legs reluctantly toward the piano, he cursed himself again and again for falling for her 'cuteness' trap. Good, she was freaked out because of his 'overflowing' strength and now she would be freaked out again for his seriously lack of talent. He wondered if she would talk to him again after this.

Yet like always, when his fingers touched the keyboards, he couldn't help but smile. His fingers couldn't help but move, to explore the unlimited possibility of putting all the notes together, to create something beautiful from something so simple.

He missed a note.

He missed another note.

The tone was too high.

This time it was too low.

It was all wrong. He was incapable of creating music. He was incapable of creating that moving piece of music he heard when he was a little. All his hard work for the past twenty years was trash. Maybe he shouldn't try something that he was not good at in the first place.

He moved his fingers out of the keyboard. It was impossible. Maybe he should never touch the piano again.

"Wow." A series of clapping sounds echoed the room. "That was wonderful, Kurosaki-kun." Orihime said eagerly, coming closer to the piano. "Your fingers are so smoothly on the keyboard. No wonder they are so long and beautiful. They look perfect on the piano."

He began to feel slightly irritated. This girl knew nothing about music and all she cared about was his fingers! She was narrower than he had thought.

"And the piece you played was so moving. I could almost feel the excitement of summer coming."

"It was about the winter." He said dryly.

"Oh," her voice lowered, "then it must be about a very happy love story."

"It's a sad song."

This girl began to get into his nerves.

"Is that so?" Her voice softened. "Anyway, it was a very lovely piece of music, Kurosaki-kun. You're so skilled with the piano. I'm touched..."

Enough was enough. He stood up abruptly, his hands slammed hard on the keyboards. He had never been this angry before. He loved his piano than anything else in this world, but at this moment he didn't even care that he might hurt it with his hands.

"Do not say it like you know a lot about music." His voice was low and harsh and before he knew it, his hands were grabbing her shoulders. "I played terribly. STOP saying what you didn't mean to. Stop flattering me with your untrue words."

A wind passed through the opened door and breezed into his hair, cooling his much heated head. What was he doing? Why did he get mad at an innocent girl who clearly just wanted to encourage him? He was such a jerk.

He wanted to apologize to her, but then he realized that his hands were still on her shoulders. Her shoulders was stiffl under his hands. It seemed like she was constrained herself from shaking.

He was scaring her.

Tears were formed in her eyes.

He was making her cry.

"I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun."

He was too surprised he didn't know how to respond.

He could clearly see the way her tears rolled down so gracefully on her pale cheeks and involuntarily, he tightened his grip on her shoulders, stopping his hands from moving up to her cheeks and wipe her tears away.

"Kurosaki-kun, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry that I was so untactful with my words." She raised her hand up to wipe her tears away, which make his hands trailed off her shoulders and returned to his sides. "You must be irritated because of my stupid comments because you must love music a lot." She managed to plaster a sorrowful smile on her face. "I understand because I have something I love with my all heart too, and I think it will find it insulting if someone say wrong things about it."

Slowly, she took his hands in hers, "but Kurosaki-kun, I didn't lie to you. Yes, it's true that I understand nothing about music, and I shouldn't say what I didn't really know. But I was truly and genuinely touched by your music, by the passion you put in every time your fingers moved on the keyboards, by the way your eyes were so lost in every sound you created. I was moved by your love for music, and I think that was what made your music beautiful."

What was this feeling? His heart jumped and throbbed and there were thousand butterflies dancing in his stomach.

She didn't hate him.

She wasn't scared of him.

She cried because she thought it was her fault, because she understood how he felt. She cried for him, not because of him.

"I played terribly, I have no talent whatsoever for music."

"You should never give up, Kurosaki-kun. Because if you give up now I will feel like giving up too. I was so close to the edge of giving up, so please for my sake, do not give up."

"I don't understand what are you saying."

She took a long step and jumped at the table, tripped on the pillow, her hands accidentally pushed on the edge of the table, making it fall down the floor, spilling the cookies all over the place.

Still laying on the floor she quickly grabbed a cookie and then stood up and run to his side.

Before he could even move any muscles or fathom what was going on, she tucked the cookie into his mouth. "Eat it and you will understand."

How could he say it? He had never tasted something this bad in his life. He felt like a hundred volcanoes were erupting in his mouth and as the accursed piece of a cookie found it way into his stomach, he sweared that there were no less than a dozen of raging horses were stomping the soft texture of his stomach.

He wanted to do nothing less than to vomit the cookie and get the horrible taste out of his mouth and his system forever. However, as he saw her intensive eyes set on him, directly at his mouth, and sneaking between the desperation in the depth of those gray orbs was a small light of hope, he could not help but chew the rest of the cookie carefully, trying to find something good about it.

He swallowed the cookie down, deliberately ignoring another dozen of horses racing in his stomach.

"Um, the texture was good. I think the cookie was very well baked with just the right amount of flour and sugar."

This didn't seem to please her since she still looked at him attentively, this time her eyes totally set on his eyes, immobilized his ability to lie.

"And I like the... um... chili filling! It has a very singular taste."

"It was honey mixed with green pepper." She said coldly.

Honey mixed with green pepper! Holy shit... no wonder...

"Um, and I think the use of milk to combine the taste was a good choice."

"It was sour cream mixed with yogurt."

Oh my goodness. His stomach. God took pity to his stomach!

Her eyes were still piercing through his soul, and she gave him a scolding look. He remembered what she said about insulting one's profession.

"Ok, I give up." He raised his hands in defeat. "It was horrible."

"See." Unpredictably, a long smile crossed her face with triumph in her eyes. "I'm a terrible baker. A Much much much terrible baker than you as a pianist."

"No way. I'm worse as a pianist than you as a baker. And I'm a music composer, not a pianist"

"I make cookies that no one wants to eat."

"I make awful music that no one wants to hear."

"No, I'm a worse failure than you are."

"No, I am."

"No, I am."

"No, I am."

When he came to his sense, he realized he was tackling with Orihime on the floor. Their hands were pushing each other's faces away. They looked at each other in the eyes, and uncontrollable laughter broke out.

"Geez, I can't believe that we're battling for the worst failure ever."

Orihime sat up and wiped her tears away, "Kurosaki-kun, seriously, I think that you are a great pianist with a strong passion for music. If someone like you also give up, there'd be no hope for me."

"Don't say it like that. I think that you have great potential. You just need to work on... your taste a little bit. And who says that no one wants to eat your cookies? I'll eat them all."

He picked the cookies on the floor one by one and tucked them all in his mouth.

Heaven forbid him! For the first time in his life he was sincerely thankful that God blessed him with a strong psyche especially his stomach.

One, two, three, four, five cookies, so there were... um five timed twelve... roughly sixty horses raced and stomped and stomped and raced in his stomach now.

Stars. He saw a lot of stars. Maybe that this was the end of him.

His consciousness came back to him as he heard sobbing come from the weird girl.

"Kurosaki-kun," she said between sobbings while wiping her tears with her shelves. "You are so kind."

Then she grabbed his hands and her face brightened with a new determination, "Kurosaki-kun, let try hard together until we success with our profession. I can't wait until that day comes."

Ichigo tried to suppress a sigh. If it took him twenty years just to learn how to use a piano, it might take him another twenty years to master the art of playing it, then twenty more years to be able to write some music, and another twenty years to become famous. As for Orihime... Let's say... not in some hundreds years. He looked at the cookie that was behind the pillow. Apparently, he forgot to pick it up and eat. No, he was wrong. Not in a thousand years.

And he wasn't sure if they were still alive until that day came but he nodded anyway.

* * *

**A/N:**

Of course it's not the end, and the real thing hasn't happened yet. The theme will be explored more in the next chapter. I'll try to wrap it up in two chapters, but who knows. Anyway, I'll try to squeeze up every last piece of my free time for a couple of days more, trying to finish this story.

Sorry again for mistakes if there are any. I'm too tired and there is no time for an beta. Any comments are welcome. Let me know my mistakes, and I'll change it.

And please review if you like this story, it REALLY encourages me to write the next chapter faster and have it done on time. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **

Here it's, the extremely late second and last chapter.

Sorry for the late, and sorry if it's tardy.

* * *

(7/17/12)

Lanterns. Lanterns. Lanterns.

Too many lanterns. Red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, black, white, gray, brown, all the colour there was to it. Sneaking between lanterns were lanterns and lanterns.

It was a stupid custom. This Taba...something..na... something ta...

And the Inn was crazily busy during the last week. Unconsciously, Ichigo touched his chest. His muscles were now was big as his palm, and he didn't even dare to look at the muscles in his arms. His hands were all dry and cracked from all the works Urahara asked him to do, and one of those was making lanterns.

He was freaked out when Urahara told them to make around three hundred lanterns. What in the world Urahara would do with those girly things in a deserted Inn without a single customer? However, much to his surprise, as soon as July 6 came, customers flooded to this Inn like fishes met water. And within a blink of eyes, all the lanterns were gone.

All because of this stupid Ta...something Festival that he was dragged here, by Orihime, in the midst of a forest, in an ocean of people with lanterns, and in the middle of the night!

"Can you tell me again, why don't we go to sleep at this hour after such a busy day of work but wandering mindlessly here instead?"

"But it's Tanabata Festival!"

"So what?" he grumbled, trying to ignore the cute pout she put so innocently on her face.

"It's Tanabata Festival!" Her eyes wide opened, and her hands were waving in excitement, "and everyone love it. It's so romantic to carry a lantern with your beloved and watch the stars together."

His stomach growled in mixed emotion, and he could feel heat started to spread to his face. Beloved. Romantic. They were walking with each other now, weren't they? In the middle of countless other couples. Could it be that she was considering him as a potential...he didn't know...a potential...um... beloved... for romantic relationship? He shook his head almost immediately as the thought entered his mind. No. No. No. No. No. Now it was not the time or the place to think about romance. Romance was a result of an absurd way of thinking. There was much much more to life than love. His whole devotion, his only meaning of this world was for music, to create a piece of music that could move any one's heart, and especially, his own heart, to make his heart race with the same pace as when he first heard _that_ piece of music.

"What's this Tana...something Festival again?" He said something, trying to distract himself from the stressful thought when it came to music.

"It's a tradition based on a wonderful love story about a Goddess and a cowherd. The Goddess had the same name as me, Orihime." Orihime said somewhat proudly. She swayed her hand excitedly, accidentally brushing her hand against his, making Ichigo had to clench his hands into fists to resist the temptation to grab her hand and hold it tight.

"The Goddess was a refine weaver who made the most beautiful clothes for the heaven by the bank of the Amanogawa, the heavenly river. As a hard worker, she never once left her job to meet and fall in love. Concerned for her, her father, the Sky King, arranged a meeting for her to meet the cowherd, Kengyuu."

"They fell instantly in love and got married shortly thereafter." Orihime continued, totally oblivious of Ichigo's scowling face. Seriously, this was such a stupid story. Love at the first sight! Come on, this was obviously an arranged marriage!

"However, once married, Orihime would no longer weave cloth, and Kengyuu allowed his cow to stray all over heaven."

'See. Love was harmful. And what the hell this couple did with their time that they couldn't do their jobs?' Ichigo thought

"The King was furious. He separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet each others."

'What's a jerk! First he forced his daughter into a marriage and now he forced her out of it. Dominating bastard.'

"Anyway, Orihime became despondent after her husband left and she cried so hard that her father took pity of her and allowed her to meet her husband on the 7th day of the 7th month if she worked hard and finish her weaving."

Ichigo resisted another yawn. Seriously, when would this story end? Ichigo couldn't possibly understand what Orihime found so fantastic about this story that she didn't stop talking even when they, together with the sea of people, reached the dead end of the forest and turned around to come back to the Inn.

"The legend also said that on the first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river."

Oh my god, this story was so boring and he was so sleepy. And this Orihime sure cried a lot and knew how to use her tears

….

No more talk. Much to his surprise, Orihime had stopped talking, probably because she had spotted the yawn that he tried to cover with his hand.

"I'm sorry." He said apologetically.

Orihime laughed. "What are you apologizing for?" She looked at him playfully, her hands clasped behind her back. "You might find this story very boring, but I find it very inspiring." She stepped several steps ahead of him, letting him have a full view of her slender back with silky auburn hair covered half of it. This was the first time he realized how small and thin she really was. Upfront, she was tall, and her endowed breasts took all the attention, not leaving the remark that she actually had very little fat. But now, she looked, how could he say it, small, somewhat weak and vulnerable. His protective instinct rose, and there was a flood of strong desire to protect her, to make her smile and happy though he knew that she was a very strong girl who didn't need any form of protection or any intervention in her life.

"I think it's wonderful that love encourages each other to try their best and do better in what they truly love." She still kept her face away of him, not letting him see her true emotion. "Kurosaki-kun, I think sometime you should open yourself a little bit. You are a musician, but I think you have been sealed your heart a little too hard. It immobilized your inspiration, it seems. Music is not all about skill or technique."

She spun around, and let him see her smile. It was rigid but a bright smile nevertheless. "Like this Festival, when we are marching the forest like this, it's like we are making the bridge that crossed the Amanogawa. When we're all together marching toward a goal, with some same emotions, I feel like there are invisible bridges connect our heart together. However," she got closer to him, placing her hand on his chest where his heart had lost its ability to beat because of the proximity, "sometimes hearts are not that easily connected." She tiptoed, her dedicated fingers trailed off along his shirt buttons. "It's dreadful, for me, when I'm unable to reach the person that is close to me the most."

" Kurosaki-kun," her fingers curled and grabbed his shirt tightly, clinging to his strong chest so that she could raise her whole body a little up and get her face closer to him, "it's dreadful to me, when you are this close to me, but between us are not bridges but walls and walls."

"Inoue..." he finally found his tongue, "I'm not the person who is close to you the most...and..."

He stopped abruptly as he saw the pain on her face.

Orihime released the grip on his shirt and she stood straight again on both of her feet. She gave him a sorrowful smile, "Kurosaki-kun, to you, I'm nobody, but to me, you're the closest one."

She spun her shoes and ready to leave. It was then he realized how lonely it could be if she left him tonight. He grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer to his body, turning her around so she would face him "Inoue, you're strange today."

"I'm guess I'm at my breakdown." She smiled faintly but tears were formed in her eyes and began to roll freely on her cheeks. "Everyday I wake up and unable to find a single meaning to my life. I don't even bother to brush my teeth or comb my hair or tucking something over my empty shell. I open my eyes everyday and all I see is this devoid place, devoid world."

"I thought that you love baking."

"Yes, and no one like my cookies except myself. It's worse to create something that prove no usefulness than not to create anything at all. Ignorance was the worst form of rejection. To be existed is to be acknowledged."

Her eyes were so big and clear as they pierced through his eyes, yet they were so sad and desperate that he could not help but to pull her closer and placed his lips on hers.

XxXxXxXxX

Ichigo placed his arm over his forehead as he stared at the ceiling. His chest was half covered by locks and locks of auburn hair. He still couldn't believe what he had done. He looked over at the sleeping Orihime. He pulled the blanket up to cover the naked Goddess.

She was truly beautiful, a true art of nature. She had a heart of an angel and a soul made from the most dedicated materials. Despite her somewhat airhead and carefree appearance, she was extremely smart, perceptive and adept. In short, she was an exceptionally good person and he was unworthy of her. Yet, it was not love, the feeling he held toward her, and he wasn't sure if she held any feelings toward him or not. She looked so broken and vulnerable that he did the only thing he knew to comfort her.

It was so wrong to perform an act of physical intimate when one didn't hold a special attachment or affection toward his partner.

Orihime stirred and her hands touched his chest innocently, making his heart miss a beat. It was not like he didn't feel attached to her or physically and mentally desire her, but he wasn't sure those feelings were deep and romantic enough to consider love, a prerequisite feeling, in his opinion, when one got close to another like he did with her.

The only problem was that she was in a very unstable mental state now. Earlier tonight, when she was about to leave, he had a feeling that she would do something stupid. To protect her, he will stay by her side and create that bridge of connection and a sense of security, not only to her but to himself as well.

XxXxXxXxX

It was the fortnight Orihime stayed in Ichigo's room.

Ichigo slid the door open so that the moon could shine through their room. He gently pulled her robe halfway down her shoulders so that her white smooth skin was illuminated fully under the moon. There was not a single soul around the Inn at this time of the year anyway.

'What a fabulous work of nature!' he thought as he began to place soft kisses on her bare neck and shoulders. It was unexpected and unnatural for him to feel so desire of her. Each day passed and he found himself being drawn into her more and more. He was basked each day in pure bliss and happiness. During the day, after finishing works at the Inn, they would spend hours and hours in each other companion, her listening to his music, him eating her cookies and cakes, or just simply holding hands in silence, enjoying the sunshine and the tranquility of their surroundings. During the night, they were bathed in intense waves of passion, completely lost in each other arms and souls.

He was afraid, deadly so, that his growing affection toward her would hinder his ability to play music, that his devotion and love for music would be faded and eventually replaced by his devotion and love for her, but it didn't. If before, to him music was to precise every sing notes. He thought that perfection was the only way to create the best music. However, now he realized that music was a flow of passion that had no directions, no paths, no forms, no intention. And every time he saw her smiling face, hearing her faint footstep from afar, smelling her scents, feeling her touches on his skin, he could almost feel the rhythm of his heart, and it was the kind of music that made him feel weak in his knees and want to be drowned in it forever.

He turned her around so that he could touch her face, her eyes, her cheeks, her lips. Every single features of her face and body was an endless sources of inspiration, and he had never loved music... and life the way like he did now.

Orihime pulled her robe up and smiled at him as he took a piece of her new strawberry custard. It was good. He didn't know that it was because he was so into her now or because his stomach was so used to her foods that he didn't find them so repulsive as before.

"It's good. You've really improved."

"Really?" She leaned closer to him, her hands on the floor, and as she raised her head to look at him, he could clearly see her cleavage. Damn. Did this woman even know how seductive she looked now?

He couldn't resist the temptation any longer and pulled her into another hungry kiss.

"Kurosaki-kun," she moaned. The sound of the word gave him an odd twinge of insecurity. She still called him by his last name, and that discouraged him to call her by her first name, which made him wonder who they really were to one another? He wondered that it was because she was too shy to say his name and he should initiate it first. Or was it because she felt some insecurity about their relationship too. That she actually didn't want to burden him or force him into something serious if he was ready; that she sensed his reluctance at the beginning. Or could it be that...his heart wrenched in fear and anger... he was just one of her many lovers that she found comfort when she was down.

He quickly shook his dark thought away. No, Inoue was not like that. She was kind and sincere. He should not lose trust in her. A breeze of past memory passed through his mind and brought him reassurance. He sighed in relief. As that night was his first time, he was fairly certain it was her first time too.

"What are you thinking, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked, perceptive of his sigh.

"Um, I just think that your cake and cookies are very good lately. They...um how can I say it...they are tasted... normal."

Orihime looked at him warmly, "I just could not stand you suffer my food anymore, so I decide to make something that comply to your taste. I have studied what you ate and like to eat everyday and guessed your preference based on our conversation, then I try to make sample based on those preference until I make one that I think you might like."

Orihime was indeed a unique person, too unique that sometimes it was difficult to understand. He was sure, with great certainty, that she was a great cooker and baker and that she was totally capable of making wonderful foods because the meals and desserts she made for the customers were delicious and above all, normal. However, that was the only exception. The food that she normally cook, not for the customers, was beyond disgusting.

"Inoue, I notice that it's not that you can't make normal food but it's that you don't like to. I think that you will be beyond successful if you make cookies and cakes like the one you make for me now."

Orihime stood up and stepped out to the balcony. She sat down, and her creamy long legs were fully revealed under the robe as she swayed her legs down the stairs. Ichigo follow suited and sat next to her.

She stretched her hands, "I know I was selfish, but what I'm really looking for was not food that anyone can make. The normal was good." She stood up turned her face away, "but is this world the place when only normal was accepted and the abnormal should be casted away? I'm seeking for that answer, and for that answer alone, I'm willing to bear any pain or suffering."

Ichigo stood up and hugged her from behind, "you don't have to bear the pain alone, allow me to share it with you and allow me to be with you in the journey to seek for that answer."

He couldn't see her face but before he knew it, tears were falling like rain on his hands.

"Kurosaki-kun, thank you. I think I shouldn't be so stubborn and so selfish anymore. I was very happy when I see your smile when you eat my cookies. I think for that happiness, I'll stop making cookies that please myself but ones that please others."

"Well said speech, Lady."

The couple jumped as a figure was standing on the top of the well right in front of Ichigo's room.

It was Urahara.

The blond man smirked, "but maybe there was a middle ground. You can always make something that please both, you and others. Creativity wasn't born from the normal but from the abnormal."

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Urahara, you live in here?"

"Always. This is my house, remember?"

"But..." Ichigo lost his speech, and he looked over to Orihime who was stoic and deep in thought.

"No more small talks. I have a great news for you guys. I just entered you two into a contest. Tokyo, July 7 next year. Good luck, guys. If you win, you two will have a chance to go aboard."

"What?"

But before Ichigo could fathom what was going on, Urahara disappeared, probably down the well.

Orihime picked up the two application forms and looked into them with seriousness. "Kurosaki-kun, I will enter this contest and I will win."

Ichigo looked at the form. It was a very big contest that includes music contests, cooking and baking contests, and even sport contests. The winner would have a chance to go and study abroad for a year, with promises to be famous and be able to attend international contest.

It was a golden chance, and it was not easy just to enter the contest, but somehow Urahara took care of that.

His heart dropped for a second as he saw that the winner for the baking contest would go to French and the winner for the piano contest would go study in Italy. So this meant if they won the contest, they wouldn't be with each other for at least one years, and who knew what would happen after that. And if only one of them won, they would still be separated. The only way for them to be together was for none of them to win the contest. Ichigo shook his head feverely, his future was at stake here. It would change everything. It would give him everything he had ever wanted. He would discover the true form of music. Even if they didn't enter the contest, there was no guarantee that they could be together...forever.

And besides... Orihime seemed so determined to enter the contest and win, he could see that fire in her eyes. She said that she would go without any hesitation. He wondered if she took any seconds to consider the consequences, that they might not meet each other again.

She didn't seem to. She was still standing there, deep in thought, unreadable.

There was no doubt about it. She weighed her career above their relationship. His heart pained when he realized that she loved cookies much more than him.

"Kurosaki-kun, I need to go back to my room."

With that she left, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

XxXxXxXxX

'Parting is such a sweet sorrow.' Orihime thought as she put her bare legs into the small pound.

It had been half a year ever since Ichigo came to the Inn, but now he was gone, as fast as he came.

Orihime bent down and put her hand in the water, drawing unidentifiable patterns on the smooth surface, disturbing it.

She felt blessed, living through these heavenly 6 months.

One should not be so greedy. She should be content with what she had. Beautiful memories that would stay with her forever.

Although after Urahara-san told them about the contest, Ichigo's attitude had changed slightly, they still shared wonderful time together. They had been so much busy, preparing for the contest, that they barely had time to spend with each other. Yet the limited time was so rare that they both valued it greatly. Orihime had never been happier.

She knew what bothered him.

Orihime took her hands out of the water and wiped them with her handkerchief.

He must think she valued her career much more than their relationship. It might be true, but Orihime had deliberately made it clear to him how important the contest was to her. She understood Ichigo. He was too kind. This was the only way to motivate him to do his best in the contest without any lingering feelings. She knew that this contest was as important to him as it was to her. It could change their life completely and profoundly.

To be honest, she didn't know, what was more important to her. Ichigo or her cookies. Maybe they were not that much different. With Ichigo by her side, she felt safe and protected, and with that security she felt like she could do anything. Even when Ichigo was not with her, it reminded her so much of him that it hurt. She had a feeling that if she succeeded she would see him again, for certainty. If she failed, she wouldn't look at him in the eyes even when they met again.

The mutual feeling of wanting to get better, to exceed in their job was the bridge that connected their hearts. As long as they continued to try their best, they would meet again.

She would win, for her and for Ichigo.

XxXxXxXxX

Ichigo adjusted his tie one last time before he went to the stage to get his prize. He won, first prize, with unanimous decisions from the judge. He couldn't forget the feeling when he finished playing the song he wrote specially for this contest, the applauses that never seemed to end.

For the first time of his life, he was acknowledged, recognized by a lot of people. He remembered what Orihime said "To be existed is to be acknowledged", yet there was something missing. He had looked at the audience desperately to find Orihime, but she was nowhere in his sight.

He left half a year ago because he wanted to come back home and met his master, to perfect his technique now that he had understood the other aspect of music, "emotion" as his master said it.

It was difficult, not being seeing Orihime again, but the mere thought of her encouraged him to try his best. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing her again if he had failed.

He had succeeded, yet he might never see her again.

XxXxXxX

"You're doing great, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo turned his back to face Orihime.

She was there, in the middle of the parking lot, right after he got his trophy.

"Inoue..."

"I win." She smiled brightly, showing him a small trophy in the form of a cake. "I just want to tell you that and... that your song moved me dearly. I have never been touched like that in my life."

Ichigo came closer. He couldn't help but smile, "This sounds familiar. I'm pretty sure I heard it before."

"I cried. Hope it says something."

He grabbed her head and wanted to kiss her. God, how much he missed her..

But she pushed him away. She looked at him, her eyes were clear yet sad, "We will not meet each other again, at least for a year."

"I know." He pulled her forehead to his, "but French and Italy are not that far. We can still meet each other on the weekend if we want to. I know that Europe has a very good transportation system."

"I will not go to Italy. I will go to China."

"But why?" he asked in horror.

"I asked them to change it. I want to study traditional cookies, not pastries." She emphasized, "I want to make traditional cookies."

He took some steps back and could not help but release a sarcastic laughter, "you do love cookie than me, don't you?"

She looked at him with wide eyes, seemingly to be taken by surprise.

'Why do you look so surprised? I love you, Inoue Orihime, much more than I love my music. You are my music. Can't those six months tell you something?"

"I thought that love was to enhance a dream, not to hinder it?"

"Do you love me, Inoue?'

She cast her eyes down the ground. To him, it was century until she raised her eyes up to meet his. "As much as I love my cookies, for that I have to go. I will go to China."

"If you say so." Ichigo sighed. There was nothing that could change her mind and he knew it.

"Without separation, there would be no reunion." Orihime said before she turned away. "During the past six month that I parted you, I have grown tremendously. Not a single second that I didn't think of you. And the mere thought of seeing you again gave me strength to go on, to make cookies that will make you proud. That's the meaning of my life." She raised her hand toward the sky. "Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." Ichigo murmured.

* * *

**A/n:**

Again sorry so much for the tardiness. I'll edit this chapter when I have time.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

But I hope you enjoy this chapter, despite the tardiness, if so I'm very happy to hear from you.

If you see mistakes, please let me know. Sorry again for not beating it.

Thanks for reading

**Edit 7/21/12:** smooth some grammars, hope it looks a bit better. Next time I post something, I'll definitely get a beta. This time it was so rush, and I had some problem dealing with stresses so not until the contest is almost end that I really started to write.

Also, this is the last chapter. This is a two shots story for Tanabata Festival, not a long story. It was supposed to be one-shot but I wrote more than I expected and I wanted to buy some time so that's why I made it into two chapters.

Just a reminder in case you think that there's more.


End file.
